


The Critical Moment

by thetransgirlwhoneverwas



Series: Fictober 2019 [17]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-27 03:13:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21111737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetransgirlwhoneverwas/pseuds/thetransgirlwhoneverwas
Summary: The Doctor is trapped, beyond hope of escape, and facing his final, unavoidable death at the hands of his greatest enemy. The situation is hopeless.Sometimes it's nice to have an amoral time travelling thrill seeker looking up to you.





	The Critical Moment

“EXTERMINATE!”

“Yes, you’ve said that several times now, do you have any other words in your dictionary?”

“EXTERMINATE!”

“Apparently not.”

The Doctor dodged another blast of energy as he ran to the side of the Dalek, hoping to get out of the way of the creature’s gun. One shot was all it would take, one shot, and all the regenerative energy in the universe wouldn’t help him. The Doctor had always thought that Time Lords would be the first to create weapons that could prevent regeneration, but somehow the Daleks had gotten there first. Not that the Doctor was surprised if he really thought about it. The Daleks were always finding inventive new ways to kill everything they encountered. Including each other. Especially each other.

“EXTERMINATE!”

This did not help his current situation, the Doctor mused, before narrowly dodging another shot. He looked around the tiny cell he was in: absolutely featureless. No chairs, no tables, no cameras, nothing he could use against his executioner. Even the door blended in perfectly with the walls, disguising it from sight. Not that he would have been able to open it. Even a sonic screwdriver couldn’t do anything against a deadlock seal. As the Doctor looked around the sealed room with absolutely no features, nothing he could use to escape from the Dalek in the centre trying very hard to kill him and which he could not evade much longer, he started to ponder that maybe landing in a city filled with Dalek collaborators and telling the Prime Minister to his face that he was stupid for collaborating with Daleks was probably not the smartest decision he had ever made.

“EXTERMINATE!”

“Oh, will you please stop!”

The Doctor dodged round the side of the Dalek again, but in trying to think of a clever quip to say next time the Dalek shouted at him, he lost focus on his movement and tripped on his own feet, hitting the metal floor with an embarrassed “oof!” and crawling away.

“I really must find some new shoes,” he told himself as the Dalek turned to him and pointed its gun straight in his direction. “I _swear_ these ones used to fit perfectly.”

The Dalek turned its eyestalk towards him, the two locking eyes. The blank, emotionless eyestalk almost seemed to feel something; the Doctor could almost see a hint of smug pride as the Dalek had him cornered beyond hope.

“Well, I suppose it was a good run,” he said, wanting his last words to be at least somewhat profound. “Brave heart, me.”

“EXTERMINATE!”

“Yes, I know, just get on with it, I don’t have all day,” he spat vitriol at the hateful creature bearing down on him, intent on defiance to the end.

As he stared straight in its disgusting eye, refusing to break his gaze, he saw a slight shimmer out of the corner of his eye. Something moved, and before either the Doctor or the Dalek could react, a small device rolled in front of the Dalek, accompanied by a familiar voice shouting “surprise!” as the device exploded, the released energy passing harmlessly over the Doctor, but electrifying and immobilising the now screaming Dalek. The Doctor looked over to greet his saviour and was met by the grinning face of the Rider, right hand outstretched.

“Come on, Doctor, that electromagnetic stun grenade won’t keep it down for long!”

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, the Doctor reached out and took the Rider’s hand, expecting her to pull him up. Instead, she launched herself onto the floor beside him, her free fingers dancing over the Time Ring on her left wrist. The Doctor felt himself being sucked through the Time Vortex, leaving the room and the Dalek behind, landing on the ground outside next to a familiar mechanical winged horse with far too many jets and rockets attached.

“Every time I use one I forget how much I hate Time Rings,” the Doctor shook his head.

“It’s better than a vortex manipulator,” the Rider retorted. “Cheap and nasty, those things.”

“Agreed,” the Doctor stood up. “Thank you, by the way. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Ooh, very polite!” the Rider grinned. “You’re not normally this pleased to see me.”

“You’re not normally rescuing me from inevitable and very permanent death, Rider,” the Doctor acknowledged. “So, what’s this in aid of.”

“Fun,” the Rider shrugged. “I always appreciate someone being a big damn hero right in the nick of time, and how could I resist saving the Doctor? You’re the one who inspired me to leave Gallifrey in the first place, you’re like my mentor!”

“If I’m your mentor,” the Doctor ventured. “Does that mean you’ll listen if I ask you to stop callously playing with people’s lives?”

“Not really,” the Rider admitted.

“Well, it was worth a try,” the Doctor sighed. “I’m going to let you off this time because you did just rather nicely save my life, but I’m sure we’ll end up on opposite sides again.”

“I really don’t want to be your enemy, Doctor,” the Rider almost pleaded. “I just don’t have the obsession with protecting those _poor, helpless mortals_ that you do.” The sarcasm was back now.

The Doctor sighed again. He could see a desire for his approval in her, and he felt somewhat flattered by the gesture. Not to mention that he was genuinely thankful that she had saved him. He wanted to trust her, partially because he wanted her to be a good person. But even he had to admit to himself that mostly it was selfish: he didn’t want to think he had inspired someone who acted so carelessly with other’s lives.

“Thank you for rescuing me, Rider, really,” the Doctor shook her hand. The Rider looked crestfallen, but quickly perked up again, a new story forming in her eyes.

“Anytime!” she beamed, and practically danced away, leaping atop her ostentatious TARDIS and taking off. “See you around Doctor!” she called as she soared into the sunset, a wheezing and groaning accompanying her gradual disappearance from sight.

“Now then,” the Doctor said to nobody. “Where in the world did I leave the TARDIS?”


End file.
